Thursday, April 26, 2012

US Tank Destroyers vs German Panzers

I was eager to give the TD company a shot, and Eric was looking to run his Nationals list through the ringer, so we decided to throw down! We rolled for the mission and randomly rolled up "Counter Attack". I was worried that the mobile reserves were going to hurt, but I know I picked my quadrants perfectly. Eric would have a difficult time getting to the objectives, and would have to guard his flanks well!

Eric's Panzerkompanie

HQ: 2x Panzer IV H + Von Saucken + Bergepanther

4x Panzer IV H

3x Panzer IV H

Armored 3.7cm AAA

3x Hornisse

Nebelwerfers

Sporadic Air (Cannon Stukas)

Steven's Tank Destroyer Company

HQ (2x M20) (vet)

Tank Destroyer Platoon (vet)

Tank Destroyer Platoon (vet)

Full Armored Rifle Platoon (vet)

4x M5A4 Stuarts (trained)

105mm Battery (trained)

Cav Recon (trained)

SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT

The board. My deployment zone is the bottom left. Eric is bottom right. My reserves arrive top right. Objectives are bottom left in the green field, and top left next to the bridge.

I start with my 105s on the board. Along the road are my 2iC, HQ, and 1 Tank Destroyer platoon. My Armored Rifles are put in ambush.

The lay of the land.

On the recon move, the HQ and 2iC + 2 of the 3 vehicles from the tank destroyer security section race down the road.

UNITS IN RESERVE

Eric's Panzerkompanie

Steven's Tank Destroyer Company

Tank Destroyers

Stuarts

Cav Recon

DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie: Eric prepares to send 4 Panzer IVs with the HQ westward while the rest of his force intends to push North and then West to contend with my reserves.Steven's Tank Destroyer Company: My choices for deployment are limited as a result of Mobile reserves. 105s go on the board along with the HQ, 2iC, and security section of tank destroyer unit 1. Armored Rifles go in reserve.

TURN 1

Reserves arrive in the perfect spot. The first tank destroyer unit is ready to delay the Germans.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie

Steven's Tank Destroyer Company

TURN 1 SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie: Everything moves forward, but no shots are taken.Steven's Tank Destroyer Company: Reserves arrive early! Everything gets into position, ready to get shooting. The jeep and 1 M20 from the first tank destroyer unit make use of their mobility and get near the manor in the center, heaving left one M20 behind in the wheat with the 105s.

TURN 2

Turn 2

Planes swoop in on the Tank Destroyers that just arrived!

One M20 goes up!

Panzers continue to navigate the hill.

Panzers and lighter vehicles scramble like roaches at the presence of the Tank Destroyers! 2 Hornisse bog entering a wood.

Armored rifles spring their ambush in response to the panzers probing the ford.

The first of the M18s show themselves!

The 2nd M18 unit can either deploy in support of the first or all the way back at the 105s. Flexibility rules.

The net result is 2 killed and 1 bailed Panzer IV.

But the M18s have a great position overlooking tons of open ground that is difficult for the Panzers to navigate. If you peer behind the woods on the left you can see where the 4 Stuarts arrived from reserve. They took flank shots on Panzer IVs but whiffed.

3 bazooka shots nail a Panzer IV!

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie

(4x) Panzer IV Platoon- 1 tanks.

(3x) Panzer IV Platoon- 2 tanks.

Steven's Tank Destroyer Company

Tank Destroyers 1: 1 M20.

TURN 2 SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie: Panzers near the ford push forward, testing the waters. On the other flank everything attempts to make it to cover in anticipationg of the tank destroyers.Steven's Tank Destroyer Company: Stuarts race down the board edge, flanking Panzer IVs as M18s pop on the crest of the hill, gutting the 3 strong Panzer IV platoon. Armored Rifles reveal themselves across the stream, holding the first objective. Bazooka fire successfully knocks out a Panzer IV.

The Panzer IVs move to stormtrooper to get away from the M18s with the help of Von Saucken.

Except... they both bog.

The Bergepanther frees 1 Hornisse.

The Germans are successfully held up on the far end of the table, well away from the objectives.

The M18s finish off the 2iC and the remaining Panzer IV.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie

(4x) Panzer IV Platoon: 1 tank

(3x) Panzer IV Platoon: DESTROYED

HQ: 2iC

Steven's Tank Destroyer Company

Stuarts: 1 tank

TURN 3 SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie: The Germans focus fire on the Stuarts, but fail to run them away!Steven's Tank Destroyer Company: Cav Recon arrives, staying behind the M18s on the hill. M18s finish off the Panzer IVs on the left flank.

TURN 4

Turn 4. No air. Note the cav recon just behind the ridge in the North East (where the M18s have dominated the open ground)

Panzer IVs near the ford move up the hill.

And long range shooting knocks out the command jeep of the yet-to-be-revealed M18 platoon.

Nebelwerfers slam into the M18s and Cav Recon, but cause no casualties.

With few available targets, the M18s fire back on the Nebelwerfers, but cause no damage.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie

(4x) Panzer IV Platoon: 1 tank

(3x) Panzer IV Platoon: DESTROYED

HQ: 2iC

Steven's Tank Destroyer Company

Stuarts: 1 tank

TD Platoon 1: HQ jeep

TURN 4 SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie: Eric continues to focus on the Stuarts but causes no additional harm. Panzers near the Ford pull back.
Steven's Tank Destroyer Company: M18s take pot shots on the Nebelwerfers. 105s have been pinned since turn 2 when an errant nebelwerfers barrage struck them!

TURN 5

Top of 5.

Hornisse and AAA focus relentlessly on the Stuarts.

Killing all but one!

Finally the 105s unpin!

And slam into the Panzers who finally built up the courage to push the ford!

Finally after much maneuvering with the security section, the 2nd M18 platoon springs their ambush near the ford.

Nabbing 2 more Panzer IVs.

3 Hornisse and AAA all whiff on the Stuart!

Who gets ballsy and opens fire on the AAA, knocking out one vehicle!

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie

(4x) Panzer IV Platoon: 3 tanks

(3x) Panzer IV Platoon: DESTROYED

HQ: 2iC

AAA: one vehicle

Steven's Tank Destroyer Company

Stuarts: 3 tanks

TD Platoon 1: HQ jeep

TURN 5 SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie: Realizing the objectives need to be pressed, Eric's Panzers finally push towards "my" objective. Steven's Tank Destroyer Company: After crazy amounts of maneuvering and using the HQ + 2iC to stretch the command distance to the limit, the 2nd Tank Destroyer unit pops near the defender's objective, and knocks out 2 Panzer IVs. The last remaining Stuart goes to ground.

TURN 6

Turn 6.

Hornisse and AAA continue hounding the Stuart... and whiff.

M18s finish off the other Panzer IVs.

Armored Rifles moved out, ready to mop up if the M18s failed.

Eric is now nowhere near the objectives.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie

(4x) Panzer IV Platoon: DESTROYED

(3x) Panzer IV Platoon: DESTROYED

HQ: 2iC

AAA: one vehicle

Steven's Tank Destroyer Company

Stuarts: 3 tanks

TD Platoon 1: HQ jeep

TURN 6 SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie: Eric returns fire on the M18s near the ford: all miss. Hornisse and AAA fire on the last remaining stuarts, and fail again!Steven's Tank Destroyer Company: M18s wipe out the remaining Panzer IVs.

TURN 7

Eric stays in the game, shooting for the victory point that he will earn- if he can kill the Stuart.

A lone Stuka swoops in on the M18s holding the ridge!

A Hornisse moves past the Stuart- Eric is going for broke and hoping to get 2 victory points!

Finally, the last Stuart goes up, earning Eric that victory point.

But as the Hornisse misses the mark, the M18s deftly knock out the Stuka with their .50 cals!

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie

(4x) Panzer IV Platoon: DESTROYED

(3x) Panzer IV Platoon: DESTROYED

HQ: 2iC

AAA: one vehicle

Steven's Tank Destroyer Company

Stuarts: 3 tanks

TD Platoon 1: HQ jeep

TURN 7 SUMMARY

Eric's Panzerkompanie: Eric has no hope of contesting any objectives now, and goes for VPs! He scores one by wiping out the Stuarts.Steven's Tank Destroyer Company: I start my turn with no enemy teams within 16" of an objective, giving me the victory.

Well, the TD list was very good, although to be fair they were facing a list they were very very strong to! Still, I underestimated their veterancy. They were very difficult to return fire on, especially since they were both placed in the perfect spots! Thanks to Eric for an enjoyable, if one sided, game.